Sodium Cellulosate and Diethylaminoethylcellulose as Substrates for Modification of Cotton with Epoxides

Abstract

Sodium cellulosates containing up to 1.8 milliequivalents Na⁺ per g fabric were prepared by reacting methanolic solutions of sodium methoxide with solvent exchanged cottons which had been preswollen in water, dimethlformamide or in 23% aqueous NaOH. These sodium cellulosates were reacted with five difunctional epoxides in t-butyl alcohol or in perchloro ethylene. Fabric properties were compared with those obtained when the five epoxides were reacted with diethylamino ethyl celluloses (DEAE-cottons). DEAE-cottons were prepared in nonaqueous media by reacting the sodium cellulosates with β-chloroethyidiethylamine in t-butyl alcohol solutions. The free amine form as well as the hydrosalt form of DEAE- cottons was used as substrate for epoxide reactions. Fabric properties were also compared with those obtained with the hydrosalt form of DEAE-cottons prepared in aqueous media and with those resulting from the reaction of epoxide with cotton pretreated with aqueous XaOH.